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Former So Solid Crew singer MC Harvey has been forced to backtrack over claims he had a relationship with X Factor star Cheryl Cole.

In an interview printed two weeks ago, Harvey seemed to claim he had been intimate with the Girls Aloud star and said he wanted to marry her.

At least, that's what appeared in Now magazine.

Today however Harvey has opened up in a radio interview, and confessed: "I will 100 per cent say that we had a communication relationship, but have I been out with her? No I haven't."

Harvey however insisted that he did exchange many emails with the Geordie beauty, explaining: "I did not say I would marry her. I've never been with her, I've never claimed to have a relationship with her, but the communication is not a lie.

"If I'd done that, I'd be lying to myself and lying to my family. If I'm saying was there communication with us, yes- for a good five months."

But Now magazine defended their article

A spokesperson for the publication insisted "We completely and wholeheartedly stand by our exclusive and refute any accusation that it contains untruths.

"Michael Harvey himself released a statement earlier this week standing by what he revealed in his interview in Now magazine.

"The article is not defamatory and was published in good faith - we will strongly defend it."